Photo: SB-Medien
The MINI brand has done great things with the new UKL1 platform, making a name for itself under the 2 Series Active Tourer and our favorite 3- and 5-door Hardtop models. But things are about to get a whole lot more practical with the arrival of the next-generation Clubman.
No longer designed as an asymmetrical little monster, this will become he most practical car ever sold by the MINI brand, as spacious as an average compact Tourer. What's more, it will have 6 doors in total, offering side-hinged doors instead of a lift gate.
Today, we can show you that the Clubman will also have the sort of performance that you want to experience on the Nurburgring, not just a family outing. Two different prototypes were spotted offering slightly different flavors of the same thing. The yellow car is the Cooper S, powered by the latest 2-liter TwinPower turbo engine pushing out 192 PS.
At first glance, the red prototype is a wagon version of the super-exciting new JCW supermini hot hatch. The bumpers and wheels have the same design, but the fact that there are no JCW brakes leads us to believe that this is actually a JCW cosmetic package.
That really doesn't mean we're disappointed, because with up to 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque available for quick spurts, the Cooper S models we tested felt really fast. And for those more frugal-minded, MINI is likely to offer the 170 horsepower Cooper SD, equipped with a 2-liter diesel engine.
It's going to offer nearly everything the VW Golf GTD Variant does, but with a bit more design flare and BMW technology. The engine range will include plenty of 3-cylinder turbo models, all of them turbocharged, for those whose budgets don't stretch far enough or who prefer fuel economy over driving fun.
Editor's note: We can still hope for a 231 PS monster-tourer to come some time in the future, right MINI? Pretty please with AWD on top!
Today, we can show you that the Clubman will also have the sort of performance that you want to experience on the Nurburgring, not just a family outing. Two different prototypes were spotted offering slightly different flavors of the same thing. The yellow car is the Cooper S, powered by the latest 2-liter TwinPower turbo engine pushing out 192 PS.
At first glance, the red prototype is a wagon version of the super-exciting new JCW supermini hot hatch. The bumpers and wheels have the same design, but the fact that there are no JCW brakes leads us to believe that this is actually a JCW cosmetic package.
That really doesn't mean we're disappointed, because with up to 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque available for quick spurts, the Cooper S models we tested felt really fast. And for those more frugal-minded, MINI is likely to offer the 170 horsepower Cooper SD, equipped with a 2-liter diesel engine.
It's going to offer nearly everything the VW Golf GTD Variant does, but with a bit more design flare and BMW technology. The engine range will include plenty of 3-cylinder turbo models, all of them turbocharged, for those whose budgets don't stretch far enough or who prefer fuel economy over driving fun.
Editor's note: We can still hope for a 231 PS monster-tourer to come some time in the future, right MINI? Pretty please with AWD on top!
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